Drugs and race

One aspect of Anil Ananthaswamy's interesting article on race caused me some concern (20 April, p 34). His argument that research into possible correlations between the efficacy of certain drugs and therapies and the patient's "race" should not proceed is anti-scientific.

Any reasonable hypothesis is worth testing. Either there is a statistically significant correlation, or there isn't. If there is, a causal link between genetics and drug metabolism should be sought. If there is no such correlation, the hypothesis is falsified and the next reasonable hypothesis, for example genetic "clusters", should be looked at.

We should not discontinue a potentially worthwhile line of enquiry on the grounds that it may offend a particular racial group, or that merely looking for a correlation may reinforce bigotry. The research may benefit the racial group, and bigots will always be bigots, regardless of scientific research.

Anil Ananthaswamy writes: While medicine seems to ...

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